Executive Management Training on Confronting Anti-Black Racism - by Councillor Michael Thompson, seconded by Mayor John Tory

Action 11.2 of the Action Plan calls on the City to build City staff competency, training, and understanding on how to utilize an anti-Black racism analysis. This work is critical to removing systemic barriers, and leveraging the experiences, knowledge, capacities and talents of diverse Black Torontonians. To date, the Confronting Anti-Black Racism Unit in the Social Development, Finance and Administration Division, in collaboration with the People and Equity Division have developed an anti-Black racism corporate learning program, delivered in full-day, half-day, and one and a-half hour in-class training sessions. Training sessions underway are being delivered by highly-trained, skilled and professional Black facilitators. An online training module has been developed to expedite access for all City staff and to maintain the program momentum during the COVID-19 recovery. There is a renewed call to action to have institutions like the City of Toronto address systemic anti-Black racism in all its policies, planning and practices. Understanding Black communities' unique experiences, needs and perspectives is critical to ensuring that we both provide appropriate programs and services and strengthen effective relationships between the City and Toronto's Black communities. The purpose of these sessions is twofold. The first is to enhance our collective abilities to identify and remove systemic barriers experienced by Black Torontonians. The second is to strengthen our abilities and activities as Members of City Council and their staff to make municipal services, spaces and policies fully inclusive and accessible to all Black Torontonians. The Toronto Action Plan to Confront Anti-Black Racism utilizes an equity approach of targeted universalism in order to address anti-Black racism. A targeted universalism approach ensures that when a government addresses the needs of those most marginalized in its society, everyone benefits. This includes other communities experiencing racism and other forms of marginalization, thereby, creating a true Toronto for All.